At Least 25 Killed As Hezbollah Handheld Radios Explode across Lebanon, One Day after Pager Detonations

Handheld radio devices used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 25 people and wounding 450, according to the country’s Health Ministry. This comes one day after hundreds of militant leaders were wounded when their pagers detonated.

The communication devices began exploding in Dahiyeh, according to local Lebanese news outlets. The Beirut suburb is known to be a historic stronghold of the militant organization.

At least one blast occurred near a funeral for a Hezbollah member killed in Tuesday’s explosions, according to Reuters. Lebanese media reports claim explosions took place in multiple areas beyond Beirut as well.

Israeli investigative reporter and analyst Ronen Bergman claimed the radio devices “were walkie-talkies used for military communications,” according to the Times of Israel.

“The attacks were designed to underline the vulnerability of Hezbollah’s entire military communications networks,” he added.

Bergman said that Wednesday’s radio detonations were larger and included more explosives, leading to stronger blasts than Tuesday’s attack.

Home solar energy systems also exploded in Beirut around the same time as the handheld radios, Lebanese state media reported.

A Lebanese security source told Reuters that the devices were purchased by Hezbollah five months ago, close to the same time that the pagers were also purchased.

Israel, again, did not offer public comment.

Around the time of the radio explosions, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching 20 rockets into Israel. The IDF confirmed some of the projectiles were intercepted.

Israel has been engaged in daily exchanges of artillery with Hezbollah since the Lebanese terror group initiated the latest round of hostilities following Hamas’ October 7 attack last year.

46 individuals have been killed by Hezbollah, according to the Israeli government, while the Lebanese Health Ministry asserts 589 Lebanese, mostly Hezbollah, have been killed by Israel. The ensuing conflict has left over 100,000 Lebanese and Israelis internally displaced while large swaths of northern Israel continues battling chronic forest fires as a result of shelling and airstrikes.